By Vanessa Obioha
Pastor Femi Faseru, the National Superintendent of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) and the Resident Pastor KICC Maryland, Lagos has strongly denounced a widely circulating report that his Senior Pastor, Mathew Ashimolowo has taken a permanent leave from preaching to focus on his investment in real estate.
Last February, Ashimolowo held the groundbreaking of his estate, The Makarios Luxury Place, an upmarket mixed development seated on 33 hectares in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State, with fanfare.
“This project may be what mischief makers have taken out of context, without cross-checking available information,” said Faseru in a statement.
“This type of journalism skirts the border of decency and injures the reputation of the victim while courting libel to the publisher. To be sure, Ashimolowo remains a proud soldier of Christ, preaching His gospel with renewed enthusiasm as he has done with an unblemished record for close to 50 years.”
Rather than backpedal, the Senior Pastor of KICC is taking on fresh challenges, according to Faseru. He disclosed that Ashimolowo has just established another independent ministry-Christ Compassion to the Rural World, which is planning a crusade for Ikorodu next November.
Faseru emphasised that Ashimolowo gets better each passing year and also has been preaching more than when he was younger, easily accomplishing nine services every week. These include five Morning Glows, three Sunday Services and one Bible Study.
Ashimolowo’s telecast ‘Winning Ways,’ can be viewed all over Africa and Europe. His wife, Yemisi and one of his sons, Pastor Tobi are also ministers in the KICC.
Dismissing the report as “absolutely baseless,” Faseru claimed that there is no iota of truth in the insinuation that Ashimolowo may have quit preaching to concentrate on real estate business. He stated that Ashimolowo has over four decades, painstakingly dedicated himself to building a Christian guild with visible presence in the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, West Africa and Nigeria. As his fame grew, he became a highly sought-after speaker and counsellor with frequent international engagements.
An unending stream of income also accrues to him from his best-selling books like; ‘What’s Wrong with Being Black?’ ’10Ms of Money Workbook,’ ‘Power of Positive Prayer,’ and ‘It’s Not Over Till It’s Over.’ He ploughs back proceeds from these multiple streams of income into establishing an educational institution-King’s University, farming and real estate.
Rebutting the lies spreading about him, Pastor Faseru attested to the fact that Pastor Mathew who is 71 years old still preaches between three and four times every week, all over the world.
